Grafting of polyacetylene onto C-60 using charged nucleophiles

Two methods to attach polyacetylene (PA) chains onto C-60 are described. The first method, called 'arm first', is based on the addition of 'living' poly(phenylvinylsulfoxide) (PPVS), a soluble precursor for PA, onto a double bond of C-60. Up to three PA(exPPVS) or PS-b-PA(exPPVS) can be thus attached to the fullerene. The second method called 'in-out' is based on the ability of alkaline salts of grafted fullerenes to initiate anionic polymerization of phenylvinylsulfoxide (PVS). This procedure allowed us to add PA(exPPVS) chains onto C-60 adducts bearing at least four chains and four carbanions.